Starting to Sew
When you first begin
sewing, your fabric may not properly start, especially if you are
beginning on a point. It may get "grabbed" by the feed dogs, make
a big knot, and your machine will just stop. There are several way to prevent this.
If your sewing machine has
a plate cover with just a single hole (as opposed to the wide plate that
lets you sew zig-zag, that may stop it.
Some quilters find that by
holding the thread behind the needle and pulling on it when they begin
sewing is sufficient.
My favorite way, which also saves on thread, is to begin sewing on a
small piece of scrap fabric. You can either sew straight from the
scrap fabric onto your seam, or you can lift the presser foot and place
your fabric under the beginning of the presser foot after you leave the
scrap piece of fabric.
Starting and stopping
are the most important part of sewing a seam. It is also
hardest to get the 1/4 inch correct at the beginning and the end of
a seam.
In the picture above you
can see my blue scrap fabric. I find I am more accurate if I sew
off the scrap, and then slide the presser foot on my block.
Find a method that
works for you, and perfect it.
